Carmelo Anthony said last night he spoke with Earl Monroe to ask if he could wear the Pearl’s retired No. 15 in his honor.

Anthony, who wore No. 15 in Denver and at Syracuse, wore No. 7 in his Knicks’ debut last night. Anthony, who scored 27 points in the Knicks’ 114-108 victory over the Bucks, said he chose No. 7 for now because “single digits are hot,” his son’s birthday is March 7 and his high school number subtracted from his NBA number equals seven.

Anthony said his second choice would have been No. 22, his high school number. But that number, worn by the late Dave DeBusschere, is also retired.